Residents Feast On Maasai Cows For Grazing On Their Crops

By Tervil Okoko, PANA, 2 August 2000

NAIROBI, Kenya (PANA) - A group of Maasai pastoralists who had invaded
a private farm in the suburbs of Nairobi got a rude shock of their
lives Tuesday when a group of residents set upon their animals to make
a feast in retaliation.

More than 10 cattle belonging to the pastoralists were killed and 20
injured as the villagers did slaughter the cows and looted the meat as
the herdsmen watched in disbelief.

It was also party time for the village dogs as they scrambled for the
leftovers.

Due to the raging drought that has reduced Maasai grasslands into
perched earth crust, the pastrolaists have invaded several farms in
central parts of Kenya and around Nairobi.

Some have even dared the devil to take their animals into the city to
graze on vegetable leftovers and flower gardens.

The attack, which occurred at dawn in Kiwanja village, near Kenyatta
University in the suburb of Nairobi, is said to have been undertaken
by farmers who claimed the cattle destroyed their maize and banana
plantations.

The farm owner, Jospeh Peria, said that he woke up at 3 AM only to
find that herds of animals had strayed into his farm, foraging on his
crops.

He complained to have lost all his maize and banana crops which were
both nearing maturity.

"I heard screams and that is what woke me up as the residents
attacked the animals to get meat," he told PANA.

Peria said the residents must have been angered by what they view as
arrogance by the Maasai herdsmen to graze their cattle in their
platantions.

However, there must have been those (people) who took the advantage of
the situation to loot meat, he suggested.

Peria said more than 500 animals from Kajiado (about 43 miles South of
Nairobi) have invaded the ranch over the past two weeks.

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